Greg Barnette/Record Searchlight Jerome Venus, candidate for the District 2 seat on the Shasta County Board of Supervisors, speaks at a forum Tuesday at Old City Hall in Redding. (Photo: Greg Barnette)

The District 2 candidate forum on Tuesday evening focused on the county's role with water issues, land use, mental health and cannabis. Both candidates shared their views for the region's future, with two opposite political leanings carrying out the night's forum.

Candidate Jerome Venus, a former licensed family therapist, positioned himself as someone applying for a job and Shasta County voters as his potential employers.

Leonard Moty, the current District 2 supervisor and former Redding police chief, has filled the supervisor's seat for the past seven years and suggested his experience makes him the most viable choice for the position.

The League of Women Voters of the Redding Area and Record Searchlight hosted the event at Old City Hall in downtown Redding and a moderator fielded all questions from the audience.

The two men exchanged comments about the other's views and why his opponent supposedly does not fully understand the county's needs. Moty suggested Venus was incorrect when calling the lumber industry in the North State dead.

'Mr. Venus is wrong. Lumber is not dead. Why are we importing 90 percent of our lumber from Canada?' Moty asked. 'It's a driving economy that needs to come back.'

Venus remarked the county has been ineffective when treating people with mental health issues.

Moty played up the county's recent adoption of Laura's Law, which would provide court intervention for relatives of adults with mental health issues.

Venus felt the county would be impeding people's rights and likened Laura's Law to a detention measure.

Both voiced concerns about job growth for the local economy, but with two different goals. Moty sees the importance of sustaining the existing industries in the region, but also in bringing new industries, like high-tech jobs.

Moty said the county has supported the Economic Development Corporation of Shasta County, which promotes the region as a place for new business.

Venus pointed to cannabis as a strong foundation for a new economy, which could successfully branch out to other industries in the region.

'We need more than one economy. Cannabis is a springboard. It has to help everyone. This plant comes along once in a lifetime,' said Venus.

The regulation of cannabis and its place in the county kept finding its way to the conversation. During the forum a woman shouted at the moderator from the audience.

'You didn't ask my question,' as the woman demanded the forum discuss the county's regulation of private medical marijuana cultivation. She stormed off when the forum did not recognize her question, but continued to shout that the people have a right to a fair forum under the Constitution.

Venus said he did not agree with the woman's interruption, but agreed with her concern for the Constitution playing a role in forums.

Both men agreed on forest management and Moty suggested overcrowding of trees in our forests is a major concern.

The future of the region relies on trade schools for young people, according to Moty and for Venus it was keeping children engaged with a strong, vibrant local economy.

Venus felt strongly about fees from the planning department, and felt that fees should be erased when a family experiences a natural disaster. Moty said the Board of Supervisors has already passed an ordinance that expedites the permit process to rebuild.

Water in the North State is a concern for people. Venus agrees water has to be conserved, but sees private cisterns playing a bigger role in the region's future.

Moty said building more water storage is imperative for the region survive and grow.

'We haven't done anything since the 1960s to create more storage,' said Moty, and with the population steadily growing it makes sense to increase water storage. The fact that the area is still in a drought should teach the region to conserve and restore water, he said.

Venus' closing remarks was a call for reason within the community. Moty spoke to leadership through experience.

In total the forum lasted for an hour, attracted an audience of about 15 people and the men shook hands at the end of the night.

The forum will be rebroadcast on community access Channel 181 Charter, leading up to Election Day on June 7.